Previous ChapterNext ChapterThis is “Understanding Software: A Primer for Managers”, chapter 9 from the bookGetting the Most Out of Information Systems(v. 1.4). For details on it (includinglicensing), click here.For more information on the source of this book, or why it is available for free, please seethe project's home page. You can browse or download additional books there. Todownload a .zip file containing this book to use offline, simply click here.Has this book helped you? Consider passing it on:Help Creative CommonsCreative Commons supports free culture frommusic to education. Their licenses helped makethis book available to you.Help a Public SchoolDonorsChoose.org helps people like you helpteachers fund their classroom projects, from artsupplies to books to calculators.Table of ContentsChapter 9Understanding Software: A Primer for Managers9.1 IntroductionLEARNING OBJECTIVES1. Recognize the importance of software and its implications for the firm and strategic decisionmaking.2. Understand that software is everywhere; not just in computers, but also cell phones, cars,cameras, and many other technologies.3. Know what software is and be able to differentiate it from hardware.4. List the major classifications of software and give examples of each.

This
preview
has intentionally blurred sections.
Sign up to view the full version.

We know computing hardwareis getting faster and cheaper, creating all sorts of exciting anddisruptive opportunities for the savvy manager. But what’s really going on inside the box? It’ssoftwarethat makes the magic of computing happen. Without software, your PC would be a heapof silicon wrapped in wires encased in plastic and metal. But it’s the instructions—the software code—that enable a computer to do something wonderful, driving the limitless possibilities ofinformation technology.Software is everywhere. An inexpensive cell phone has about one million lines of code.R. Charette,“Why Software Fails,” IEEE Spectrum, September 2005. Ford automobiles actually have morelines of code than Twitter and Facebook combined.S. Lacy, “Is Atlassian the Next Big EnterpriseSoftware IPO?” Pando Daily, February 22, 2012. In this chapter we’ll take a peek inside the chips tounderstand what software is. A lot of terms are associated with software: operating systems,applications, enterprise software, distributed systems, and more. We’ll define these terms upfront, and put them in a managerial context. A follow-up chapter, Chapter 10 "Software in Flux:Partly Cloudy and Sometimes Free", will focus on changes impacting the software business,including open source software, software as a service (SaaS), and cloud computing. These changesare creating an environment radically different from the software industry that existed in priordecades—confronting managers with a whole new set of opportunities and challenges.

This is the end of the preview.
Sign up
to
access the rest of the document.